Bob panicked. Gerard had just fainted...he hoped. The rain had thoroughly soaked through him on the way there. He had followed Gerard from a distance. It was relatively easy to do; his black clothing didn't match the scenery at all, and he rarely turned back to see if he was being followed. The eighth grader's breathing was coming in deep gasps, having run most of the way. The cold air seemed to only burn his lungs even more.

'I've got to help him,' thought Bob. 'But how?'

Gerard shivered in his state of unconsciousness. Bob tentatively placed a hand on his forehead, recoiling at the coldness of his skin. He appeared bone-white against the darker tones of the cemetery. Bob did the only thing he could think of. He took off his thin jacket and lay it over Gerard, tucking it around him. Cold air and water blasted his arms within seconds. He instantly regretted wearing a short-sleeved shirt, but it had been sunny earlier, if slightly breezy and cloudy. 'It's anything but 'slightly' now,' Bob thought grimly as the liquid ice pounded against him relentlessly.

He watched as the older teen began shivering more violently, and his already pale lips began to take on the faintest of blue shades. Bob automatically reached for his cell phone, but realized it was in his backpack...which was back at the Way household. He tentatively stood and walked around to the other side of the tree, feeling bursts of cold air and water on either side of him, but not directly towards him. He dashed back to Gerard and carefully dragged him halfway around the tree, making sure not to hurt him. The teen weighed more than he would have guessed.

He lay Gerard's limp, cold body against the tree's mahogany trunk once again, hearing a slight sigh escape his now-blue lips. The teen miraculously opened his eyes and managed the smallest of smiles.

"Thanks, kid," he breathed. "You're not...so bad..."

"You shouldn't talk," said Bob, holding one of the older teen's hands in both of his own, trying desperately to warm it. "You're too cold."

"Tell Mikey I'm sorry," he said with more confidence. "Tell him...I wanted to stop-"

"You can tell him that yourself," Bob said with determination shining in his sky blue eyes. "I don't know how, but I'm going to get you home."

"No," Gerard cried suddenly, startling the younger teen. "He can't...see me like this." His voice had returned to its whispery tone that seemed to lack life.

"Gerard, do you have your cell phone with you?" Bob asked him. Gerard slowly fumbled for it in one pocket, barely managing to find it before his arm went numb from the cold. Bob gingerly removed it from his grasp and quickly dialed the only phone number he could think of. He hoped it wasn't too late.
-
The ringing of Mikey's cell phone startled him out of a deep, much-needed sleep. He yawned and quickly answered it, careful not to disturb Alicia. He glanced at the caller ID before speaking to the person on the other end.

"That's fine, I know which one," he answered hurriedly. "I'll be there in a few minutes." Mikey ended the call first. He gently stroked Alicia's shoulder, waking her up within seconds. She smiled at him sleepily, but immediately knew something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"I need to go get my brother. I assumed you'd wanna come," he said, unable to resist smiling at her. She nodded and stood up.

"We need jackets," said Mikey, glancing outside at the miserable weather. "And I have a feeling Gerard will, too."
-
Frank's lungs were on fire by the time the reached the cemetery. Both he and Ray knew where Gerard would be, but when they approached the now-familiar site of his grandmother's grave, they saw no one there.

"Where could he be?" asked Ray. "He always comes here."

"I don't know," Frank muttered. His words were lost in the roar of the wind.

Bob looked around wildly for any sign of human life, and practically jumped in midair when he saw Frank and Ray standing nearby.

"Frank! Ray!" He ran over to them, and both turned at the sound of their names.

"Bob! Do you know where Gerard is?" Ray asked hurriedly. Bob nodded and ran back to the tree, closely followed by Gerard's friends. Their faces paled when they saw him.

"Hey guys," he mumbled. Ray knelt and immediately checked his pulse.

"It's really weak. And he's freezing."

"What should we do?" asked Frank.

"We have to get him inside somewhere...maybe even the hospital," Ray said grimly.

"Mikey's on his way," said Bob. "I called him on Gerard's phone."

As if on cue, Mikey ran up to them with Alicia just a few steps behind. He knelt by his brother's side and wrapped a much thicker jacket around him. Gerard had since fainted once again.

"We need to get him home," said Mikey, glancing at Ray and silently asking for his help. Ray knew both Way brothers would protest if they took Gerard to the hospital. He picked up the black-haired teen, noting how much more he weighed because of the water soaking through him. They began the long walk back to Gerard's house. Alicia ran ahead, borrowing Mikey's house key. She planned to have hot chocolate waiting for them by the time they got there. Mikey suddenly realized Bob was shivering from the cold and tried to get his friend's jacket from Gerard.

"No," said Bob, reaching out a hand to stop him. "He needs it more than me." Mikey looked at him for a second, completely lost. Gerard had hurt Bob. Gerard had nearly broken one of his arms and left him on their front lawn, not caring what would happen to him. Gerard never cared about his victims. Why was one of his victims caring about him?

"Okay..." Mikey said hesitantly. Bob gave him a smile, jaw quivering as his teeth chattered violently.

Ten frigid minutes later Ray walked through the house's front door. He placed their unconscious friend on the couch, immediately taking the wet jackets off of him and tossing them on the floor. Mikey grabbed a blanket hanging over the back of a chair and wrapped it tightly around Gerard's body. Alicia had realized they were back and carried four mugs of hot chocolate over to the group, handing them out before returning to the kitchen to get her own. They sat on the floor, gathered around the coffee table, and waited.

Everyone except Bob. He was standing by one of the front windows, staring out at the rain with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Eventually Mikey came over to see what was wrong.